Dispensing of fibrous material



Nov. 19, 1963 Filed June 29, 1962 J. B. WINN, JR

DISPENSING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL 3 SheetsSheet 1 l1? renfar:

James 5. M'nn,Jr.

Nov. 19, 1963 J. B. WINN, JR

DISPENSING 0F FIBROUS MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1962COMPRESSED AIR m m m Nov. 19, 1963 J. B. WINN, JR

DISPENSING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1962CEMENT AIR JAMES B. WINN, JR.

mvsmon United States Patent 3,111,270 DISPENSING 0F FZEERDUS MATEREALJames B. Winn, Jr., Wimhcrley, Tex., assignor to The Archilithic (10.,Dallas, Tern, a corporation of Texas Filed June 29, 1962, Ser. No.206,497

12 Claims. (Cl. 239-425) This invention relates to dispensing and use offibrous material and in particular to methods and apparatus of the typewherein fibrous material is discharged with random distribution forreinforcing a matrix into which it is placed.

More specifically, the present invention relates to certain improvementsin the invention disclosed in prior ap plication Serial No. 672,723,filed July 18, 1957, now U.S. Patent No. 3,034,732, and also disclosedin continuation-in-part application Serial No. 722,678, filed March 29,I958, and now abandoned, of which this application is acontinuation-impart. It is to be understood that the present inventionis by no means limited to the environment of the specific disclosure insaid Patent No. 3,034,732, and that it may be used generally for thedispensing of fibrous material under pressure, without or withdispensers for fluid cementitious material of any conventional type.

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide improvedmeans for delivering the fibrous material under pressure to thedispensing device or gun therefor, such means being in the form of apressurized container for the fibrous material, from which the materialis delivered to the gun.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision ofmeans for comminuting the fibrous material during its passage throughthe gun, so that it may be discharged either in a comminuted form or ina continuous threacllilre form in which it is usually supplied.

Another important feature of the present invention resides in theprovision of improved valve means for controlling the flow of thefibrous material through the gun.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity ofconstruction, in its efficient and dependable operation, and in itsadaptability to economical manufacture.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vesseladapted to be hermetically sealed and to receive a spool of fiberrovings therein. Compressed air is introduced into the vessel andentrains the fiber rovings for delivery from the vessel by way of anoutput port. An elongated conduit is connected between the output portand a control means at a point remote from the vessel. The control meansincludes a valve for initiating and terminating flow of air and fiberfrom the vessel.

ln accordance with a further aspect, the invention involves theformation or" a structure in which structural elements initially arestacked with a mono-element or multi-elemcnt thickness as to beself-supporting and to form surfaces on the opposite sides thereof ofdesired configuration. To each such surface there is applied a spray ofa cementitious material and a turbulent spray of continuous fiber rovingsimultaneously for intermixture in the cementitious material in a randomdeposit, thereby to form a monolithic reinforced skin on each suchsurface of the stack to facilitate distribution of bearing loads appliedto the stack throughout the area covered by the monolithic skin.

3,111,270 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 ice For a more complete understandingof the present invcntion and for further objects and advantages thereof,reference may now be had to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention showing thedispensing gun connected to the pressurized container for the materialto be dispensed and also showing means for attaching the gun to asuitable dispensing nozzle for cementitious material, said nozzle beingshown by dotted lines and said container being shown partly in sectionto illustrate the construction thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the cutting means of the gun withits side cover plate removed;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of the improvedvalve in its closed position;

FIGURE 30 is a side elevational view, similar to that shown in FlGURE 3but with the valve in its open position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of thepressurized chamber for dispensing fibrous materials;

FIGURE 5 is a reduced sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE4;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modification of a guide and a compressed airentry port;

FJGURE 7 is a sectional view of an improved fiber control gun; and

FIGURE 8 illustrates a new method of forming a structure wherein brickare initially laid dry and subsequently reinforced with a mat of cementand fiber rovings.

Referring now to the drawings, the dispensing gun for fibrous materialin accordance with the present invention is shown in FlGURE l as beingattached to and carried by a suitable structure forming apparatus whichincludes an outlet nozzle 10 at the end of a pipe or duct 11 which isconnected by a hose 12 to a supply of fluid cementitious material, therealso being provided a compressed air line 13, equipped with a suitablevalve 14, which line enters the nozzle 10 for discharging thecementitious material through the nozzle under substantially largepressure. The structure thus far described is disclosed in Patent No.3,034,732, and while the present invention is particularly well suitedfor use in conjunction with that structure, it is to be understood thatthe present invention may also be used with any suitable conventionaldispensing means for cementitious material, or may be used per se assuch, for dispensing fibrous material alone.

in any event, the fibrous material dispensing gun in accordance withthis invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 15 andcomprises a control valve 16 having an inlet 17 and an outlet 18, andalso having base members 19 whereby the entire valve may be secured tothe aforementioned pipe or duct 11 by suitable clarnps 26.

The outlet 18 of the valve 16 may communicate directly with a jet pipeor nozzle 21 which is substantially parallel with and projects beyondthe nozzle 10 as shown, so that the fibrous material discharged from thejet pipe or nozzle 21 may become embedded in the cementitious materialdischarged from the nozzle 10 for purposes of reinforcement of thestructure which is being formed.

The inlet 17 of the valve 16 is suitably connected to a flexible hose 22which, in turn, communicates with an outlet nipple 23 on a hermeticallysealed pressurized container 24. The container 24 is adapted to receivetherein fibrous material, preferably in continuous thread form asindicated at 25, such material being wound on rolls as illustrated at26.

Access to the interior of the container 24 may be had upon removal of acover 27 which is securely held in place by suitable clamp fasteners 28,or the like, and the interior of the container is pressurized bycompressed air admitted through an inlet pipe 29. The latter is providedon the container 24, preferably at a remote point from the outlet nipple23, and is equipped with a control valve 30. The pipe 29, of course,communicates with a suitable source of compressed air, and the resultantpressure existing in the container causes the fibrous material to passfrom the container through the hose 22 and valve 16 for discharge underpressure through the jet pipe or nozzle 21, as indicated at 31.

The container 24 is adapted to accommodate two or more of the rolls 26of the fibrous material and is preferably provided with one or morepartitions 32 to separate the interior thereof into compartments 33 forreception of the respective rolls of material so that the material doesnot become fouled when the supply on each roll is exhausted. Thematerial 25 passes through guide eyes 34 at the underside of the cover27 and over the top edge of the partition 32 as shown in FIGURE 1, thetop edge of the partition being spaced downwardly from the cover therebyto maintain all the compartments of the container in communication.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 3a, the valve 16 is of the rotary type,including a segment-shaped valve member 35 which is rotated by asuitable valve handle 36 and clears the inlet and outlet valve ports 17aand 18a when the valve is open as shown in FIGURE 3a. However, when thevalve is closed as shown in FIGURE 3, the valve member 35 covers theoutlet port 18a and prevents the passage of the fibrous material andcompressed air through the valve to the nozzle 21. During the closing ofthe valve, the edge 35a of the valve member 35 moves with a shearingaction over the port 18a and effectively cuts or severs the fibrousmaterial passing through the valve. in this manner the valve 16functions not only to control the flow of material through the same, butalso as cutting or severing means for the fibrous material.

As already noted, the fibrous material is fed through the dispensing gunin a continuous thread form, which is satisfactory for most types ofwall construction. However, in some instances it may be desirable todispense the fibrous mate ial in a segmented or chopped form, that is,in the form of short cut fibers. For this purpose the dispensing gun mayembody in its construction a cutting device which is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 37 and comprises a verticallyelongated housing 38 provided at its lower end with a suitable saddle 39whereby it may be secured to the aforementioned nozzle 10, such as bysuitable screws 40.

The lower portion of the housing 38 is equipped with axially alignednipples 41, 42 for connection to the valve outlet nipple 18 and the jetpipe 21, respectively, and a chopping block 43 is mounted in thehousing, somewhat below the level of the nipples 41, 42, so that it isdisposed under the path of travel of the fibrous material passing fromthe valve 16 to the pipe 21.

The housing 38 also accommodates a solenoid 44, including areciprocative armature 45, the lower end of which is equipped with achopping blade 46 receivable in a transverse groove 47 formed in thechopping block 43. The upper end of the armature passes slidably througha horizontal partition 48 provided in the housing and carries acompression spring 49 which is retained thereon by a washer 50 and a nut51. The spring 49 urges the armature 45 upwardly, but when the solenoid44 is energized, the armature is drawn downwardly. The operation of thesolenoid is controlled by a suitable switch 52 at the top of the housingand electric current is delivered to the switch and solenoid through aconductor 53 from any convenient source of intermittent or pulsatingcurrent, so that when the solenoid is in operation the armature 45 israpidly reciprocated and the chopping blade 46, co-acting with the block43, cuts the fibrous material into short cut pieces.

The housing 38 is provided with a suitable plug 54 and with a removableside cover plate 55, whereby access to the interior of the housing maybe had.

Since the flexible hose 22 and the electric conductor 53 constitute theonly operative connections to the dispensing gun, the gun as a whole maybe freely manipulated in conjunction with the apparatus 10, 11, 13, aswill be clearly understood. It may be also noted that the arrangement ofdispensing the fibrous material gives the operator positive controlbetween zero and full volume of intermixing with cementitious materialwhich may be also correspondingly controlled, whereby a wide range inproportions of the ingredients is effectively attained.

In the foregoing description of FIGURE 1 the cement gun 10 has beenshown coupled to and integral with the fiber gun. It was noted, however,that the dispensing of fibers may be quite independent of any cementingoperation. It has been found that the control of fiber glass rovings andthe like can be accomplished, in accordance with the present invention,to provide a new measure of flexibility in the operations. In FIGURE 4,for example, there is illustrated an improved and preferred embodimentof a pressure vessel which receives a spool of glass rovings and isparticularly adapted to dispense the glass rovings. A relatively deepvessel 70 is provided with inwardly sloping shaped walls and a fiatbottom. The diameter of the vessel 70 preferably is larger than thediameter of a spool of rovings such as the spool 71 so that a spool canbe loaded or unloaded from the vessel with case. The spool of rovings'71 is of the type in which the supply may be unwound from the innerwall 72 of the spool. The roving strand 73 will be understood generallyto comprise a bundle of parallel, untwisted, separate strands of glassfibers or the like. Glass fiber rovings are commercially available inspools of bundles of twenty, thirty, one hundred or two hundred strands.The spc ClfiC features of the control system for dispensing rovings ofvarious numbers of strands will depend upon the bundle size to somedegree as will hereinafter be pointed out.

The vessel 70 is provided with an upper shoulder 76 for sealingpurposes. It is also provided with an outwardly extending segmented rib77 which mates with locking means provided on a lid 78. Moreparticularly, the lid 78 is provided with a segmented, inwardlyextending rib 79. As best seen in FIGURE 5, the ribs 77 and 79 areinterrneshed so that the lid can be placed over the vessel 70 androtated to engage the ribs 77 and 79. A gasket St) is carried in anannular recess 81 in the lid 78 so that, when the lid is locked onto thevessel 70, the gasket will bear on the upper shoulder 76.

The lid is provided with a blowout gasket or plug 85. The constructionof the plug will be dependent upon the pressures to be employed in thegiven system. Also extending through the top of the lid 78 is structureforming a flow channel. More particularly, a threaded bushing 86 and asupply line 87 are provided for introduction into the vessel 70 ofcompressed air or gas. The bushing 86 is threaded into the lid 78 and afitting 88 is secured inside the lid onto the threaded extension of thebushing 86. The fitting 88 comprises an elbow in which the direction offlow of the compressed air is diverted as to be parallel to the innersurface of the lid and is thus prevented from impinging directly ontothe spool 70 and the roving strand 73 as it courses upward from thespool 71.

A roving guide 90 is provided in the upper region of the vessel 70. Theguide 90 in the form shown is a V- shaped yoke which extends from anchortabs 91 and 92 upward and toward the center of the vessel 70 to an apexwhich is located generally in the region of the axis of the vessel 70.The guide 90 is formed of a rigid smoothed-surface wire so that therewill be minimized any entanglement or tendency to interrupt or interferewith the flow of the strand 73.

The strand 73 is threaded over the guide 90 and then extends through anoutlet bushing 95 which is threaded into the wall of the vessel 70. Aflexible hose 96 is secured to and extends from the bushing 95. Thebushing 95 is provided with a central flow channel through which thestrand 73 passes. The bushing is formed with a faired or rounded entrywhich is smooth so that there will be a minimum of wear or friction onthe fibers as they enter therein. The fibers then course through theflexible hose 96 to a control gun such as shown in FIG- URE 7.

In the modification illustrated in FIGURE 6, the roving guide 90a ishinged to the wall of the container so that it may be positioned independence upon the forces on the fiber roving 73. Further, as indicatedin FIGURE 6, the compressed air may be directed through the side wall ofthe container rather than through the top and deflected along the sidewalls.

Before proceeding with a description of FIGURE 7, it is emphasized thata fiber gun which will operate for extended periods is dependent uponthe manner of control exercised upon the roving 73. In the course ofproducing spooled rovings, small segments or short lengths of fiberglass are found interspersed in the spool. Further, the movement offiber rovings at relatively high velocities serves to establishelectrostatic charges in the system so that there is a tendency to pullto the discharge port in the fitting 95 debris and bits of glass fibers.Such debris tends to clog or disrupt the uniform flow of the fibers.

It has been found that control may be materially enhanced by theinclusion of a suitable treating substance in or on the spool 71. Moreparticularly, there is provided a lubricant for the fiber roving whichin one form is a talcum powder. As indicated in FIGURE 4, the spool 71is set on the bottom of the vessel 70. Talcum powder is then provided inquantity sufficient to fill the center void and the annulus around thespool 71 to a suitable level generally indicated by the level 74. Someof the powder will be heaped onto the upper surface of the spool 71 sothat the fiber as it is withdrawn from the spool will be coated withtalcum which serves to lubricate the fiber in its course through thehose 96. Additionally, the talcum serves to assist in the removal of anyelectrostatic charge accumulated on the fiber roving as it is entrainedfor movement from vessel 70.

In a further aspect of the invention, a spool of fiber rovings havingthe lubricant impregnated therein and distributed throughout the entirespool facilitates the handling of the rovin gs. Other lubricants thantalcum powder have been employed with satisfactory results. Powderedasbestos, carbon and aluminum have been used satisfactorily.Furthermore, by incorporating such materials into the spool of rovingsitself, they can be dispensed in measured amounts proportional to theamount of roving drawn from the spool. In systems where the rovings areto be incorporated in a matrix of cementitious material applied byspraying or other means, chemical additives such as catalysts, foamingagents or setting agents or inorganic binders such as lime are dispensedalong with the fiber roving. Thus, not only are the mechanics ofhandling the roving facilitated by lubrication and static electricitycontrol but constituents employed in the ultimate matrix can be and aredispensed in accordance with this aspect of the invention.

Chemicals dispersed preferably uniformly throughout the spool of rovings71 may selectively accelerate or inhibit foaming or the like in anymatrix in which the fiber rovings are ultimately deposited. Thus, thereis provided a measure of control built into the spool of fiber rovings.

In FIGURE 7, the fiber control gun is illustrated as being coupled byway of the hose 96 leading from the vessel of FIGURE 4. Hose 96 isconnected to a bushing 100. The bushing 100 is part of a flow channelextending through the gun structure 101. A plug valve 102 is adapted tobe rotated by a control handle 103. As indicated, the plug valve 102 ispositioned in a cylindrical opening in the valve body 101 and permitsfiber flow through channel 104 in the open position. A pipe extends fromthe forward end of the valve body 101. The flow channel 104 continuesthrough the pipe 105 to a discharge point 106.

It will be noted that the channel through the valve body 102 isgenerally cylindrical and is tapered at the downstream section 1020. Bythis means, there is avoided the cutting of small segments of rovingswhen the valve is closed. Closure of the valve is brought about bymoving the handle 103 in the direction of the arrow 103a. The edge 1021;of the valve body serves to sever the rovings as the valve is closed.However, since the diametrically opposite edge of the channel passingthrough the valve 102. is relieved as at section 102a, the trailing edgeof the glass roving is permited to continue on through the nozzlesection 105 and is thus discharged, leaving the gun free and clear forre-establishing fiow immediately upon opening of the valve.

It has cen found necessary to make the valve substantiallypressure-tight when closed. Otherwise, leakage of air therethroughcauses the rovings to pile up in the flow channel 96 adjacent to thevalve and thus cause the operation to become fouled upon attemptedresumption.

It will be noted that the fitting 100 is provided with smooth entrysections such as the faired entry port 100a. In addition, eachconnection element is similarly faired so that mechanical Working of theglass fibers as they pass therethrough is minimized. Production ofdebris in the channel which would foul the flow channel is substantially eliminated.

In FIGURE 8 the construction of a load bearing wall in accordance withthe present invention is illustrated. The wall is erected using concreteblocks or similar components without the necessity of placing mortarbetween the blocks. The structural elements are :merely dry stacked byany suitable means including hand labor. Required only is that the stackbe self-supporting or otherwise maintained erect temporarily. After theelements are stacked, two opposed exterior surfaces are sprayed with aconcrete or cementitious mix into which there is also sprayed amass offiber strands such as roving 73 of FIGURE When the cement sheath thusreinforced is cured, the Wall is of load bearing capabilitiessubstantially in excess of those of walls ordinarily produced.Structural strength obtained is greater than ordinarily found instructures produced by conventional methods of mortaring or bricklaying.This is for the reason that there is applied to the surfaces of the wallthe reinforced concrete sheath which is adherent to the wall and thus isgiven body by the wall. At the same time, the reinforcing fibers in theconcrete sheath serve to distribute stresses over the wall surfaces.minimizing local application of high stresses as would exceed theultimate strength thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 8, the stacked bioci: wall isillustrated as extending along the edge of a concrete slab 121. Whilethe blocks are shown uniformly arranged with offset joints, they can bestacked in any manner such as will permit them to stand freely until thereinforced concrete sheath is applied. A reinforcing sheath 122 is shownsubstantially covering the inside surface of the wall as it would appearduring application. in this embodiment a cement mixture is sprayed ontothe wall surface from a. conduit 123 leading to a control valve 124 andthence to a nozzle 125. If desired or necessary, an auxiliary air linesuch as line 126 may be employed to facilitate the dispersion andapplication of the cement over the Wall surface.

Also shown in FIGURE 8 are means for adding reinforcing fibers to thesheath 122. The vessel 70 is shown with the compressed air input line 87leading into the side thereof (in contrast with the lid coupling ofFIGURE 4). The line 96 leading from the vessel 70 serves to to conveyglass rovings in an air stream to the control valve 101. In practice,the valves 101 and 124 may be interconnected as to form a single unitwith dual controls. Such a unit is shown in FIGURE 1. Both cement andfiber can be controlled by a single operator.

Alternatively, as disclosed in FlGURE 8, the fiber and cement guns areseparate and are designed to be handled by two operators coordinatingtheir efforts to apply a cement film onto the wall surface with asuitable quantity of reinforcing fibers embedded therein. Asillustrated, the fibers issuing from the gun barrel 105 are disperseddue to the turbulence in the air stream as it issues from the nozzle 1%.As a result, they are deposited in a completely random pattern withinthe cement sheath 122.

Production of stacked block wall through the method above describedincorporates load supporting capabilities not heretofore achieved inmortar construction. This results from the fact that the monolithicmembrane or sheath 122 joins the elements of the Wall and strengthensthe Wall throughout the entire inner and outer surfaces. This permitstransference of loads and stresses throughout the entire structure. Asan example, the stacked block wall has greater than normal resistance toshearing and damage caused to foundations by beam loads as ordinarilyencountered on isolated sections of the wall. The monolithic system, inother words, will support and Withstand greater beam loads thanconventional masonry construction because of the capability of this wallto act as a monolithic structure even though it is formed from basicallyseparate elements such as the bricks illustrated in FlGURE 8. The wallmay be formed to utilize broken blocks or bricks and second gradeelements ordinarily unacceptable in usual construction. The practicalresult is to permit far more economical construction with substantiallygreater tensile and support strength characteristics. The method is alsoadaptable to incorporate various treatments of exterior designs, colorand texture.

A wide variety of final finishes can be applied either as an integralpart of the membrane 122 or by plastering, painting or spraying theexterior. in some operations it has been found convenient to incorporatethe final color and finish onto the wall during the course of theapplication of a final cement coating. The latter coating may be appliedby merely spraying cement onto the wall. Beams or timbers, such as beams140 and 141, may be anchored directly to the top of the wall 120 and maysupport floor or roof loads without further reinforcement of the wallstructure.

Not only does the wall itself embody features not heretofore found inmasonry type Walls, but the erection and ultimate construction costs aresubstantially less than conventional brick or block walls in Whichmortar is placed between the blocks by trowel or by hand or by otherconventional methods. A given wall section can be constructed morerapidly as well as more economically than conventional walls and resistsnot only load forces as applied byway of the beams 140 and 141, but alsoresists impact forces applied laterally thereto by reasons of thedistribution of stress throughout the reinforcing fiber membrane 122.

in carrying out construction operations such as illustrated in FlGURE 8,a concrete mix forming the cementitious material for the matrix of theshell 122 of the following constituents and relative proportions hasbeen found to be satisfactory:

Table I Portland cement cubic feet 2 Polyvinyl alcohol of type such asElvanol grade 51-05,

available from Du Pont of Wilmington, Delaware pounds 6 Perlite concreteaggregate (8 pounds per cubic foot) cubic feet 2 Perlite aggregate 60-40do 2 Standard plaster sand d0 3 Fly ash pounds 12 Water gallons 17 Thereresults a light weight aggregate having a modulus of elasticity of theorder of two to six million psi. By reason of its relatively low modulusof elasticity and the inclusion therein of the alcohol, it is whollycompatible with fiber glass strands.

In a representative operation, a spray of such mixture was applied in afirst application with approximately two and a half to three pounds ofcontinuous fiber rovings per one hundred squarc feet. A three-sixteenthinch to onefourth inch coating thickness was thus first applied. Thiswas followed by an identical second coat to both faces of the Wall 120.Thereafter, a thin finish coat or cover of a suitable concrete mix only,without the fiber reinforcing, was applied to finish the wall surface.

Cement specified in Table I has been found to be suitable, thecomponents being adjusted in different localities to utilize localaggregates. Other cementitious materials such as resins or syntheticcements may also be employed. Also, cores other than the hadite orconcrete block core illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be employed. Therequirements as to vertical load capacity and insulation would, ingeneral, determine the type and thickness of the materials forming thecore of the wall. The stressed skin or sheath of glass reinforced grout122 would provide the Ilcxural and compressive strengths necessary.

The wall illustrated in FIGURE 8 has been described as having beenformed with the wall erected vertically in a final location. Fornon-load bearing walls, a simple scrim such as chicken wire or wovenmesh paper or expanded metal, such as is ordinarily used as lathersdiamond mesh could be used. Wall construction is characterized byerection of a suitable form and applying thereto a stressed skin overeither one or both faces to receive and distribute lateral as well asvertical loads.

The preferred form of fiber rovings disclosed herein is described andclaimed in an application of James B. Winn, Jr., filed concurrentlyherewith, entitled Control of Continuous Fiber Rovings, Serial No.206,504, filed June 29, 1962.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specificembodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modificationsmay now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it isintended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of. continuous fiberrovings which comprises:

(a) a nozzle for fibrous material,

(b) a sealed pressurized container adapted to receive therein a supplyof fibrous material in an uncut continuous thread form,

(c) means flow-connected to said container for introducing compressedair into said container, and

(a!) guide structure interconnecting said container and said nozzleincluding conduit means for entraining and conveying the uncutcontinuous fibrous material in the stream of compressed air travelingthrough said container to said nozzle.

2. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of continuous fiberrovings which comprises:

(a) a sealed pressurized container adapted to receive therein an uncutsupply of fibrous material in a continuous thread form,

([1) a structure forming a flow channel extending into said containerand including means for deflecting air flow in said container along thewalls of said container upon introduction therein of compressed air,

(c) an outlet flow line extending from an outlet port on said containerand having an elongated fiow channel of substantially uniform diameterextending therethrough,

(d) a nozzle for discharge of compressed air and uncut fibrous materialtraveling through said flow line, and

(e) valve means in said flow line in the region of said nozzle forcontrol of flow of air and the fibrous material from said container.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which said valve meansincludes a plug member mounted for rotation on an axis perpendicular tosaid flow channel and provided with an orifice adapted to be alignedwith said flow channel, said plug member having sharp boundary portionsat the upstream side of the flow channel extending therethrough andfaired boundary portions at the downstream side of said flow channel.

4. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of continuous fierrovings which comprises:

(a) a vessel adapted to receive in the bottom portion thereof a supplyof fibrous material therein,

(1)) a closure member for said vessel including means for forming ahermetic seal therebetween to provide a sealed container, said containerhaving an input port and an output port and adapted to receive a supplyof uncut fibrous material therein in spool form,

(c) flow channel means connected to said input port including deflectingmeans for directing compressed air fiow into said container along thewalls of said container,

(d) an elongated conduit connected to said output port for entrainingand conducting said uncut fibrous material from said container in an airstream,

(2) a nozzle structure including a valve connected to said conduit atthe end thereof opposite said containcr to control flow of air and saidfibrous material, and

(f) a resilient guide extending from the inside wall of said containersubstantially above said spool to the center of said container to form aguide over which said fibrous material may be threaded for minimizingcontact between said material and the walls of said container at saidoutput port.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the entry portion ofsaid output port is faired and smoothed to minimize mechanical workingof said fibrous material.

6. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of continuous fiberrovings which comprises:

(a) a nozzle for fibrous material,

(b) a sealed pressurized container adapted to receive therein a supplyof uncut fibrous material in a continuous thread form,

(c) means for introducing compressed air into said container,

(d) an elongated conduit extending from said nozzle to said container,and

(e) an outlet port means in the upper portion of said container forcoupling said conduit to said container for entrainment of thecontinuous uncut fibrous material in the stream of compressed airtraveling from said container to said nozzle.

7. The method of conveying multi-strand continuous fiber rovings througha flow channel to a discharge means 10 from a supply spool placed in acontainer which comprises:

(a) maintaining the pressure in said container substantially above thepressure exterior thereto,

((5) maintaining said flow channel from said container to said dischargemeans at an elevated pressure,

(0) threading said rovings through said fiow channel to said dischargemeans, and

(d) initiating and terminating flow of compressed air and fibers to movethem from said container through said flow channel by opening andclosing said flow channel adjacent said discharge means.

8. The method of conveying multi-strand continuous fiber rovings througha fiow channel to a discharge means from a supply spool which comprises:

(a) maintaining said spool in a zone in which the pressure issubstantially in excess of atmospheric pressure,

([2) maintaining said flow channel extending from said zone to saiddischarge means at an elevated pressure, and

(0) opening said discharge means to move said rovings from said spoolthrough said flow channel by entrainment in air flowing from said zoneto said discharge means.

9. The method of conveying multi-strand continuous fiber rovings througha flow channel to a discharge means from a supply spool placed in acontainer which comprises:

(a) moving a stream of pressurized air through said container and saidfiow channel to said discharge means,

(b) entraining said rovings in the air stream leaving said container,and

(c) maintaining a tension on said rovings by changing the direction oftravel thereof between said spool and the region of the juncture of saidcontainer and flow channel.

10. The method of. conveying multi-strand rovings of continuous fibersthrough a fiow channel from a supply spool which comprises:

(a) maintaining said spool in the lower portion of a zone of highpressure with the axis of said spool vertical,

(b) maintaining said flow channel from said zone to a discharge point atan elevated pressure,

(6) moving said rovings upward from the center of said spool and throughsaid flow channel entrained in the air flowing from said zone to saiddischarge point with an abrupt deviation in direction of travel of saidrovings at a point in the flow path spaced from said spool.

11. The combination of. a dispensing gun for fibrous material incontinuous thread form, a sealed container adapted to receive a spool ofthe stated material therein, means for flowing compressed air throughsaid container in such manner as to unwind and unreel said material fromsaid spool and force the same in uncut continuous thread form from thecontainer, a conduit connected to said container for entraining anddelivering said material in continuous thread form by the How ofcompressed air through said container to said gun, and a shut-off valvein the region of said gun for stopping the air fiow and terminating theflow of thread form material.

12. A fiber dispensing system which comprises a seal able container,means for flowing compressed air through said container, a dispensinggun, a conduit interconnecting said gun and said container forconducting air flow from said container through said gun, and a spool ofcontinuous multistrand fiber roving in said container with the rovingextending uncut from said spool through said conduit to said gun andentrained in the air flowing from said container to unwind and unreelsaid material from said spool to force the same in uncut continuousmultistrand form from said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GrayMar. 19, 1929 Wenzcl et a1. June 25, 1929 Setogucchi et a1. Jan. 2, 1934Kenothorne Apr. 20, 1954 Arce et a]. Ian. 21, 1958 10

9. THE METHOD OF CONVEYING MULTI-STRAND CONTINUOUS FIBER ROVINGS THROUGHA FLOW CHANNEL TO A DISCHARGE MEANS FROM A SUPPLY SPOOL PLACED IN ACONTAINER WHICH COMPRISES: (A) MOVING A STREAM OF PRESSURIZED AIRTHROUGH SAID CONTAINER AND SAID FLOW CHANNEL TO SAID DISCHARGE MEANS,(B) ENTRAINING SAID ROVINGS IN THE AIR STREAM LEAVING SAID CONTAINER,AND (C) MAINTAINING A TENSION ON SAID ROVINGS BY CHANGING THE DIRECTIONOF TRAVEL THEREOF BETWEEN SAID SPOOL AND THE REGION OF THE JUNCTURE OFSAID CONTAINER AND FLOW CHANNEL.